Augmented-Reality Contact Lens Is On Its Way To Production

No doubt, augmented reality (AR) glasses are potentially very beneficial, they can also be uncomfortable to wear and at times kind of funny-looking. California-based startup Mojo Vision is making a sleeker, less-awkward alternative, in the shape of an AR contact lens.

Presently in working prototype form, the company’s Mojo Lens features what is being publicized as “the densest and smallest dynamic display ever made.” Superimposed over the wearer’s view of the real world, moving graphics and text are delivered at a pixel pitch of over 14,000 ppi (pixels per inch) and a pixel density of more than 200 million pixels per square inch.

Also put up into the lens is “the world’s most power-efficient image sensor enhanced for computer vision,” a radio receiver/transmitter, and motion sensors that both stabilize the MicroLED display and track the user’s eye movements. And although the current prototype is wirelessly powered, we’re told that ideas call for the final version to include a thin-film battery that should be good for one full day of use each charge.

An exploded diagram of the Mojo Lens

The company has named its contact lens technology Invisible Computing, as it can’t be seen by bystanders, and it doesn’t get in the user’s way or hinder their movements.

Similar to AR glasses, the shown information will be wirelessly transmitted from the user’s smartphone through a small, wearable relay device. That information could involve things like text messages, talking points for presentations, turn-by-turn navigational cues, or directions for repairing machinery.

For sure, there are many other possible applications. For instance, Mojo Vision is also working on a role for users with poor vision, in which overlaid graphics are used to improve images of real-world objects. And last but not the least, the lenses can be made to specific users’ unique optical prescriptions.

The Mojo Lens’ MicroLED display

So, when might you be able to catch a pair?

“Mojo is yet in the process of designing, prototyping, and testing Mojo Lens, so it is early to reveal availability and pricing,” said Mojo Vision’s Senior Vice President of Product and Marketing, Steve Sinclair. “Although we expect to put the last touches on the development of the first generation of Mojo Lens over the next couple of years, it is subject to regulatory approvals and certification by the FDA.”